Review of an expedition cruise to the Seychelles with Ponant from January 25 to February 2, 2026 (page 9 of 11)

Regarding Anse Source d'Argent, I completely agree with you. I was left wanting more.

The first time I visited the Seychelles, I was really expecting a stunning beach and, unfortunately, I was disappointed. I've seen more beautiful beaches than that, whether in the Indian Ocean, the Caribbean, or elsewhere, and on top of that, it's paid entry. I don't know about you, if it was included in the excursion.

Hi Alfred, I'm shocked to learn that Anse Source d'Argent beach has an entrance fee. That's really ridiculous. With that water quality? They’ve got some nerve.

Hi Guylène,

We were really lucky—after the big disappointment of the first few days, this beautiful cruise made us forget all about it.

Monday, February 2, disembarkation in Victoria

Disembarking is never much fun, especially when the cruise has been so wonderful and memorable. We take our time enjoying our last breakfast on the terrace. But as the sun rises higher in the sky, the heat becomes a bit hard to handle.



We leave the ship at 9 AM, and staff on the dock call a taxi for us.

Our flight isn’t until 6 PM, so we head to a hotel in Beau Vallon (Savoy Hotel) that offers Day Passes. For 110 €, we get access to the pool and hotel amenities. The price also includes a 600-rupee "allowance" for a meal.

A fellow passenger found this great tip, which I shared with others, so we end up with quite a few people from the ship at this hotel.





And what a pool! We’ll be much more comfortable here than at the small Victoria airport. The taxi will come back to pick us up and take us to the airport later this afternoon.





We have a great time by and in the pool.



A sign says the pool is closed once a week at 5 PM for mosquito treatment. How lucky we are to be allowed to "mosquito-treat"! 😉 There’s just a path to cross to get to the beach.



We have a meal with a friendly couple from the ship on a lovely terrace facing the sea.





The menu offers fish burritos with guacamole. What arrives is chicken—no big deal—but what’s more annoying is that it’s very low-quality industrial food. For a hotel of this standard, it’s really disappointing.

A quick shower by the pool to freshen up before leaving, and off we go to the airport. The day went by much faster and more enjoyably thanks to this great tip.

Great tip, well done Catherine! 😎

Hi Catherine,

All good things must come to an end, even if you had a few surprises and disappointments.

Thanks for sharing.

Hi Catherine,

That’s a great tip for a Day Pass! It’s really handy, and I actually do this quite often. When I arrive in the morning with a flight to catch only in the evening, I try to get a Day Pass at a hotel if possible.

However, regarding the Savoy Hotel, it *is* a very nice place, but I’m not entirely surprised by what you said about the food being industrial. Most of the time, when you check TripAdvisor, people often complain about the dining there. Even the lobsters are usually sourced from elsewhere.

Anyway, the concept is great, but 110 € per person for a Day Pass is a bit steep.

I once got a Day Pass in Moorea at the Sofitel Hotel during our last cruise, and if I remember correctly, it was 9,000 XPF per person (around 75 €), and it was pure bliss: an unforgettable experience, whether it was the location or the food—everything was perfect.

You have to admit that everything in the Seychelles is overpriced. But hey, the main thing is that it allowed you to relax a bit instead of spending the whole day at the airport.

Thanks again for sharing! !

Hi Catherine, I just retrieved this report again... really busy at work these days 😅 Anyway, yes, I still hate the idea of boarding so late and missing the first day of the cruise —it’s Ponant’s way of saving on the first meal, which is really cheap 😒 oh well. Otherwise, you had a great cruise with those hidden-gem islands. The beauty of the SEYCHELLES really shines through! I’m totally smitten with CURIEUSE—it looks amazing! You barely mentioned the evenings; I’m guessing there were still only two musicians for entertainment? Thanks so much for sharing this—your photos are gorgeous! 😊

Hello Catherine,

Thank you for the entire account of your journey/cruise to and around the Seychelles.

It really got me back into the mood (at least for the landscapes) of a classic Mahé, Praslin, La Digue trip, which was our honeymoon back in late 1998.... We also took the excursion to Cousin Island. For our part, we stayed in small Seychellois hotels with such friendly welcomes. We also put on a few kilos and truly enjoyed some amazing local dishes.

Reading your post, I get the impression that the atmosphere has changed a lot, 28 years later. Regarding the roads, as a driver on Mahé, I felt the same way you did, but aside from a blown tire, everything went smoothly. Apart from the stunning landscapes, I’m afraid we’d be disappointed if we went back now....!!

It’s probably best to preserve our great memories as they are.

Thanks again.

Best regards,

Puma2A

...

Conclusion

This cruise is one of the most beautiful we’ve ever taken. I’m returning in awe of what I saw of the Seychelles’ lesser-known islands during the trip—it was truly the right choice for discovering this destination.

An expedition cruise is the ideal way to visit places that are still pristine and untouched. And Ponant has a real talent for showing us these idyllic, unspoiled, and wild spots with optimal safety and comfort. Renting out an entire island for a day for 140 people? Only Ponant can pull that off.

The exceptional moments we experienced were incredible. The stunning images we’re bringing back from this trip will remain a true treasure of wonderful memories.

But I’m really disappointed with Mahé, La Digue, and Praslin. The postcard-perfect image of the Seychelles sold to travelers is far from reality and quite disappointing. Most beaches are surrounded by trash or garbage bins, and some of the most famous ones aren’t clean, with water that’s far from clear and crystalline. I’d be curious to see the water quality test results, if there are any…

Mahé, Praslin, and La Digue are nothing more than tourist factories cashing in on an image that doesn’t match reality. These islands don’t live up to what they claim to be. I definitely won’t be going back.

This cruise is perfect for people who are wary of the sea—there’s very little sailing involved. I missed the feeling of being on a boat that moves slightly, but luckily, the zodiac excursions made up for it.

The atmosphere on expedition cruises is different from classic cruises. The camaraderie shared during zodiac outings makes communication and good vibes easy.

We were really lucky with the weather—it was gorgeous during the best part of the trip, even though we were there during the rainy season.

Of course, the level of service on the ship keeps declining, which wasn’t surprising…

The champagne is still generous, but its quality has dropped.

The evening meals, though very good, were less refined than the ones we enjoyed in November on the *Bougainville*. Here, everything depends on the chef’s interpretation. The lunch buffets were beautiful and delicious. The carafe water was better than what was served on the *Bougainville*.

The music and songs have shifted to American trends—there’s no more French variety except during one themed evening. The daily songs were completely unknown to us and in English. I found the show highlighting "New York" out of place for a French company in the current international context.

But these details seem trivial after such a beautiful cruise. On this itinerary, that’s not what matters. What counts is what this cruise gave us—the exceptional moments we were offered. The wonderful mornings we spent on those deserted, stunning beaches. Discovering islands where thousands of birds live in complete tranquility. The cruise delivered on its promises; we saw the essence of the Seychelles.

I invite you to join me in Doha for the last day of this trip: https://voyageforum.com/v.f?post=11464568;live=1;#11464568

Great tip, well done Catherine 😎

😎 😎 😎

All good things must come to an end, even if you had a few surprises and disappointments.

Thanks for sharing.

Thanks Jérôme, Maybe the early disappointments made us appreciate the rest even more. All’s well that ends well—we’re heading home with wonderful memories, and that’s what counts.

In short, the concept is great, but 110 € per person for a day pass is a bit steep.

You’ve got to admit that in the Seychelles, everything is overpriced. But hey, the main thing is it let you unwind a little instead of spending the day at the airport.

Hi Alfred,

I think everything is ridiculously expensive in the Seychelles. That said, I don’t regret that day at all—it was really enjoyable and let us wrap up that part of the trip on a relaxed note.

Yeah, I still hate the idea of boarding so late and losing the first day of the cruise 😄—it’s just Ponant’s way of saving on the first meal, which is really stingy... anyway.

You barely mention the evenings—I’m guessing there were still only two musicians for entertainment?

Hi Isabelle, Thanks for reading!

I don’t think boarding at 4 PM is about saving a meal that only costs a few euros per person on a ship. It’s more about getting the boat back in order and ensuring sanitary conditions between two groups of passengers. Even people doing a back-to-back cruise don’t stay on board but go on an excursion for the whole day.

It’s also the only day when the guides, naturalists, and hosts get a little free time—the other days, they work from 6 AM until the end of the evening activities.

I didn’t go into detail about meals and entertainment or the evenings because it’s been covered extensively in previous reviews. The evenings we had were very much in Ponant’s style—pretty quiet, nothing’s changed. If you want to party, have fun, or see Broadway-style shows, you’d need to choose another company. Every cruise line has its own vibe and perks. I wouldn’t expect zodiac excursions on a Celebrity ship. Here, the main draw was discovering nature and remote, less-visited places.

Thank you for the entire account of your journey/cruise to and around the Seychelles. It really got me back into the mood (at least for the landscapes) of a classic Mahé, Praslin, La Digue trip, which was our honeymoon back in late 1998.... We also did the excursion to Cousin. For our part, we stayed in small Seychellois hotels with such a friendly welcome. We also put on a few pounds, and really savored some amazing local dishes.

Reading you, I get the impression that the vibe has changed a lot, 28 years later.

Thank you, Alain, for your message. It must have been a truly beautiful destination back when you visited—very different from what it’s become today. Hold onto those wonderful memories; you’d be bitterly disappointed to go back. Overtourism and all its excesses now rule these three main islands.

Thanks for sharing!

A huge thank you, Catherine, for this beautiful trip report and those stunning photos. The color and shape of the rocks are truly exceptional and that’s the destination’s biggest draw. You were lucky to enjoy those gorgeous beaches in such amazing conditions! You’re right, Ponant is a great choice for expedition-style cruises with zodiac landings in the wild, but for other cruises, as you know, I’m more mixed about them 😎

Hi Catherine,

That conclusion seemed obvious. I’ll see whether I go with Etihad in September or activate a Plan B 🤔

Thanks for sharing! 👍

Hi Catherine,

Thanks for this amazing trip report. You illustrated it with such beautiful photos, and in conclusion, you really summed up the Seychelles well for us.

True, for Mahé, La Digue, and Praslin, you could say it’s a "tourist factory." That said, it’s too bad you didn’t get to explore the south: there’s still Anse Takamaka, the Takamaka distillery isn’t bad either, the beach is nice, and there was a great vibe at Batista’s. On weekends, you can have lunch there to the sound of music, which is pretty enjoyable. The southwest and south aren’t bad at all, but for the rest, I completely agree with you: it’s a tourist factory.

That said, this expedition cruise really sounded great—it’s out of the ordinary. Now, we need to plan another one soon because you have such a talent for writing trip reports, so we’re eagerly waiting for your next cruise.

Thanks for sharing, and see you soon!

Alfred

Yeah, I still hate the idea of boarding so late and losing the first day of the cruise It’s just a way for PONANT to save on the first meal—it’s really stingy... anyway

You barely mention the evenings. I guess there’s still only 2 musicians for entertainment?

Hi Isabelle, Thanks for reading my post.

I don’t think boarding at 4 PM is to save on a meal that only costs a few euros per person on a ship. It’s more about getting the boat back in order and ensuring sanitary conditions between two waves of passengers. Besides, even people doing a back-to-back cruise don’t stay on board but go on an excursion for the whole day.

It’s also the only day when the guides, naturalists, and hosts can get a little free time—the other days, they work from 6 AM until the end of the evening activities.

I didn’t go into detail about meals and entertainment or the evenings because it’s been covered extensively in previous reviews. The evenings we had were very much in Ponant’s style—pretty quiet, nothing’s changed. If you want to have fun, party, or see Broadway-style shows, you’d need to choose another company. Every cruise line has its own quirks and advantages. I wouldn’t ask for zodiac excursions on a Celebrity ship. The main appeal here was discovering nature and remote, less-visited places.

Hi Catherine, Thanks for your reply. I still think they’re being cheap—even when you board earlier than expected (check-in at 1 PM), they don’t provide anything to eat, and the afternoon snack is skipped too... 😕 It’s not worthy of a company charging these prices.

I get that the zodiac excursions must be amazing, but there should still be *some* perks 😉 I understand they can’t put on high-quality shows, but they could at least make an effort... Still, Ponant has a lot of regulars, so they must not miss it since they don’t know anything else—it’s their strength. Anyway, I agree with you about the off-the-beaten-path stops—that’s their only real selling point in my eyes. See you soon! PS: I don’t know if it’s just me, but I never get notifications anymore when someone replies, and this happens in every discussion... weird

Hi Catherine, Thank you so much for sharing this. I traveled with you and enjoyed your beautiful photos and always insightful comments. I discovered the "DAY PASS"—I had no idea it existed! Have a great weekend, Guylène